LeaTHeR

I have, through the years, amassed quite a large collection of my writings, in various forms. It’s funny given how much I love writing, that I have never been disciplined enough to write in any organized manner. I don’t really keep diaries or journals, not in any systematic way anyway. Unlike Anne Frank, I find it awkward to do the “Dear Diary” thing. It seems wrong to burden any one (or any thing) with my perfectly boring life, day in and day out.

Many years back, when having a personal computer was not the norm, I would write what I needed to write in longhand. Buying good pens became a matter of great importance. I believe the structure and build of the pen affects your handwriting, and how well you can write. There was this particular brand of pens I had to use – Red Leaf – because the ink flow gushed and left beautiful blots when I wrote, and I love blots. I haven’t seen Red Leaf pens around for a long time now. But I haven’t really been writing in longhand for a long time now either.

Yet I wasn’t as picky when it came to writing surfaces. In fact, I could write on any scrap of paper (sometimes even on my arms and knees), which caused a lot of problems when I am trying to establish some form of chronology to events. There were some half-hearted attempts at trying to give more order to my writings. I bought a stack of small pocket-sized notebooks which I carried around with me everywhere I went, to capture those random thoughts that flitted in and out of my mind. I took my unused school exercise books and filled them with quotations that touched or inspired me. I also invested in several larger hardcover journals to record some of the more significant events of my life. Finally I introduced a dating system which I still use today, to keep track of my writings over time.

The greatest revolution, though, has to be the advent of the internet, and more pertinently, the inception of this blog, that gave real structure to my writing. Actually, it might be more accurate to say that this blog has provided an avenue for my formless thoughts to form. This blog has given me a platform on which to rant and rave about the things inside my head. This blog has forced me to be more disciplined in writing, as much as being disciplined about what I do write.

Leather. They say the 3rd year means leather. I am surprised the 3rd anniversary of this blog came and left so silently, that I didn’t even realise it myself. I would have very much liked to celebrate it with you. You are, after all, a big part of the reason why this blog has gone on as long as it has.

To you, my readers, Thank You.
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